Posts filed under ‘Life’

Changing the beneficiary on a life insurance policy is generally a simple matter. You’ll need to contact your insurance company and follow its instructions for executing a change of beneficiary. Beneficiary change requests must be in writing, usually on a form that your insurer will provide. Some insurance companies actually make a physical change to your insurance policy (called an endorsement) to reflect the new beneficiary, but this is unusual.

Sometimes when applying for a life insurance policy, you may be asked to take a medical exam. Generally, you won’t have to take a medical exam if you’re under age 40 and applying for life insurance coverage of less than $100,000. However, the older you are, the less life insurance you can buy without a medical exam. Of course, these figures also depend on your health history and the underwriting guidelines of the insurance company you choose.

A typical medical exam may include a basic physical, blood work, and urine tests. Some insurance companies also require EKGs and/or treadmill EKGs (stress tests), especially for large life insurance policies. You’ll also have to provide information on your medical history, including the names of doctors you’ve seen, dates you saw them, and any treatment recommended. A nurse or doctor (often an independent contractor) who is paid by the insurance company will normally conduct the exam.